Ideas For The Change Revolution

During the next month or so, this newsletter and my blog will undergo dramatic transformations. The response has been so incredible, that our designers and developers are locked into a secret underground lab creating philcooke.com 2.0, or as we're going to call it "The Change Revolution." The media world is changing, and our message needs to be heard above the media clutter. We've been helping other powerhouse organizations accomplish that for years, and now, we're going to do the same for us.

That's what this newsletter and blog are going to be about. We'll continue with our normal hard look at faith based media, but we're also going to explore the mainstream, to see what we can learn from that world as well.

So please link to this site, and tell us why you've linked. Multiple links help us move up in the blog rankings, which means more influence and a bigger audience. Plus, tell your friends to check us out and sign up for our monthly newsletter as well. With nearly 10,000 subscribers, the e-mail newsletter is really making an impact around the world.

Plus, standby for a regular, weekly video podcast featuring dispatches from the front lines of media, faith, and culture. From the heart of Hollywood, I'll be podcasting on the media, how it's impacting your life, and how you can use it more effectively.

Change is coming, and the revolution is on the way. Keep checking in, and we'll start the countdown to The Change Revolution soon. ... read more

Simplify, Simplify

I recently starting making some serious changes in my life. I've always been far more concerned about doing stuff than talking about stuff or having stuff. I'm not one for endless meetings, reading or writing long business memos and reports, or pointless e-mail. But lately, I've gone absolutely hardcore with efficiency.

First, about 3 years ago I switched to a Mac. I'm not a nut about either PC or Mac, but I switched because a Mac is far more intuitive and easy to use. It works right out of the box, you don't have to worry about drivers or viruses, and everything from wireless networking to uninstalling programs is just easier. Since the switch, I find I spend far more time working, and much less time tweaking with the dang computer. ... read more

Be Everywhere. Be Ubiquitous

One of my strongest memories of growing up in the South is "fish camps" -- restaurants that usually serve fried fish of all kinds. They have always been incredibly popular along the Catawba River outside Charlotte, North Carolina where I grew up. So as we usually do when we visit my parents near Charlotte, we head for a fish camp. That's where I stumbled on a fantastic photo of a church advertisement on the inside of a toilet stall door. It was in the men's room of a fish camp near Gastonia, and it made such an impression on me, I wrote about it last year as soon as I returned from the trip.

But the idea of advertising -- even on a restroom stall door - says a lot about a brand's "ubiquity." The dictionary defines ubiquity as "being everywhere." It's how we describe the omnipresence of God -- He's everywhere all the time. Today, ubiquity is also an important term in branding and identity, because the more your customers or audience sees you, the stronger your brand comes in their mind. ... read more

Why We Debate and Discuss Religious Media

As this newsletter grows, lots of people are reading and responding, and many have been very passionate about their positions. But since I occasionally get some criticism for my arguments, I think it's very important we look at why I created it and why this conversation about media change is so important.

First -- I'm not interested in just criticizing. Anybody can do that, and frankly, there are a lot of blogs out there from people who criticize when they have nothing at stake and no real risk. My goal is to start a conversation about the change revolution that's happening in media, and how we get our message heard in a media-driven culture. ... read more

Google – It’s not a Search Engine. It’s a Reputation Management Tool

We need to change the way we think about Google. Yes, it was created as a search engine, but it's really about reputation management. Numerous organizations have discovered the disastrous side of this equation when they did a search on their company or CEO, only to find negative stories from the past rise to the top. The blogosphere has become such a powerful entity that we can't ignore it anymore. That old DUI you thought everyone had forgotten, the accusation of sexual impropriety, or the nasty e-mail exchange with an ex-employee all find a way to flow into the Google river of information. Religious organizations, companies, and individuals all need to be aware. So what can you do? ... read more

• Creative Christian Media:
  Secrets of Successful Media Ministry
• Successful Christian Television:
  Make Your Media Ministry a Reality
... read more

Mark these on your calendar

Technologies for Worship / NAB Conference
Las Vegas, Nevada
April 14-19, 2007

Biola Media Conference
Sat. April 21, 2007
Biola University
La Mirada, CA 90639 ... read more

Phil Cooke Can Speak for Your Organization or Event

philcooke.com/schedule

Phil Cooke can speak at your organization or event on subjects ranging from personal, organizational, creative, media, and cultural change. As an international speaker and lecturer at colleges and universities, major conferences, and related events, he can affect your audience through an array of personal stories, insightful information and research, and most of all, encouragement and inspiration.

Contact Cheryl Cashman at 818-563-2125 today! ... read more